Part 26 (2/2)
”Finally.” Dar chewed on her sungla.s.ses again, then she sauntered over to the nearest comfortable leather chair and sprawled in it. Kerry caught the almost imperceptible signal and joined her, perching on the chair's arm.
”Okay.” DeSalliers adapted again, taking the chair across from them. ”Here's the deal.” His entire att.i.tude changed, becoming tough and businesslike. Almost like Dar, in fact. ”I have a piece of ocean on which I own the rights of salvage. You dove that piece of ocean and removed something from it. I want it.”
Kerry took the lead. ”Okay. First off, you didn't mark the salvage site.” She ticked off her fingers. ”You didn't post a buoy, you didn't put up a diver flag, and there were no tags on the wreck.”
He took a sip of his drink. ”We were about to.”
”But you didn't,” Kerry said. ”So how were we supposed to know you were going to salvage it? ILS doesn't hire psychics.”
”That's not the point,” DeSalliers said with a frown. ”The fact is, you were down there.”
”What's so important about this wreck?” Kerry asked. ”I saw it.
It's an old fis.h.i.+ng freighter with more coral than steel.”
”That's none of your business.”
”Then,” Dar picked up the conversation, ”for your records, we picked up a conch sh.e.l.l and brought it topside. You don't have salvage rights on marine invertebrates or their calciferous exterior structures.”
The man's fingers drummed nervously on his knee, which jiggled slightly with tension. ”I'm very sorry,” he remarked quietly, ”but I don't believe you.”
”Why not?” Kerry asked suddenly. ”Excuse me, but what the h.e.l.l would we care about marine salvage? We're nerd sport divers.”
She stood up and paced. ”That's what I don't understand about this entire scenario. What makes you think we give a rat's patootie about whatever junk you're searching for?”
DeSalliers gazed at her through hooded eyes. ”Who are you?”
Dar leaned forward and caught his attention. ”What are you looking for?” she asked in a low, vibrant tone. ”If it's what we took from the sea, we'll tell you.”
His dark eyes bored into hers. They stared at each other for a long moment. ”I can't tell you,” DeSalliers finally said.
Dar started to get up. ”Waste of time.”
”Ms. Roberts,” he also stood, and held up a hand, ”I mean it. I can't tell you, not won't.”
”You don't know what it is,” Kerry realized. ”You have no idea 158*
what you're looking for, do you?”
DeSalliers relaxed back into his chair with a disgusted sigh.
Dar settled back and crossed her ankles. ”I'm not getting this.”
She shook her head. ”How the h.e.l.l can you stake a salvage claim on an unknown object?” she asked their host.
He rubbed his temples. ”Did you ever get hoisted on your own petard, Ms. Roberts?” he inquired. ”Hung out to dry by your own reputation?”
Dar considered the question. ”No,” she replied. ”Not yet, anyway.”
Kerry walked over and knelt next to his chair, resting her arm near his. ”Talk to us, Mr. DeSalliers. Tell us what the heck is really going on. Maybe we can help.” She gave him a quiet, sincere look.
”We're better friends than enemies, believe me.”
He hesitated, then took a breath, as if to speak.
The door slammed open and one of the guards rushed in. ”Sir!
Sir! He's out there! They're diving the wreck!”
”s.h.i.+t.” DeSalliers jumped to his feet. ”I'll kill that little b.a.s.t.a.r.d.
Cast off!” He started to leave the cabin, then apparently remembered his guests. ”Sorry. Hope you enjoy the ride.”
Dar and Kerry were both on their feet and heading for the door.
DeSalliers popped through it before they could reach it, and the guard slammed it shut, facing them with an air of muscular menace.
”You ladies better sit on down,” the guard said gruffly.
Dar handed Kerry her sungla.s.ses. ”I suggest you move,” she replied to the guard in an even tone. ”We're leaving.”
”Sit down,” the guard repeated, pointing.
Dar advanced on him. ”Move.” She pinned him with an ice- cold gaze.
”Lady or not, I'm gonna break your a.s.s if you don't sit down,”
the guard told her.
”Try it.” Dar didn't miss a beat. She felt her body react to the danger, adrenaline kicking in and bringing a surge of blood to her skin as she came up over her center of balance. The guard was twice her size, but in that moment she could have cared less. He was between her, and safety for her and Kerry, and he was moving. The boat engines rumbled to life. Dar's hands flexed, and she let the dark energy inside her uncoil as she started for the door.
The guard reached for her, cursing. They grappled briefly, then he threw Dar against the wall, coming after her with one hand extended and the other curled into a fist.
Dar grabbed his hand and swiveled, las.h.i.+ng out with a sidekick that caught him right in the jaw. His head snapped back and she jerked him off balance, then whirled and levered him over her shoulder, throwing him to the floor. With a snort, she grabbed the*159 door handle and yanked it open, just as Kerry hopped over the stunned man and joined her.
They looked out to see the dock receding, blue water between them and it. Two guards were scrambling toward them. ”Feel like a swim?” Dar asked, already starting for the stern railing.
”Anywhere you go, I go.” Kerry dodged an outstretched arm and they both bolted across the deck, hearing DeSalliers' yell behind them as they leaped to the railing, then dove off together into the churning water.
Chapter.
Fourteen.
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